1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to eating utensils, and more particularly to plates and cups.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dining plates and drinking cups are items of everyday knowledge and use. In the usual situation, a plate and cup rest on a firm horizontal surface in front of a person. Although they may be used at the same time, plates and cups normally exist and function independently of each other in a completely satisfactory manner.
However, on some occasions an important interplay arises between plates and cups. Those occasions occur when a suitable support surface is not available, at least temporarily, for supporting the plate and cup. In those situations, a person must hold both a plate and cup in her hands. If the person must simultaneously place food on her plate, as at picnics and buffet meals, the well known problem arises of trying to balance a plate of food and a cup of liquid with one hand while serving the food and/or drink with the other hand.
To solve the problem of balancing a plate and cup with one hand, various combination plate and cup assemblies have been proposed. Examples of prior plate and cup assemblies can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,401,858; 3,955,672; 4,461,396; 4,966,297; 4,989,742; and 5,060,820. Some of the assemblies of the foregoing patents are rather impractical for informal use such as at picnics. Other assemblies are undesirably expensive due to the intricate nature of the various components.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,111,960 and 5,058,737 show plate and cup assemblies that require specially designed cups. That requirement diminishes the versatility and usefulness of both the cups and the plates.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,964,629 and 4,732,274 show trays formed with holes for holding paper cups. Neither of the above trays is suitable for holding food.
Thus, a need exists for a practical food plate capable of holding a drinking cup.